"...a society that cuts itself from its youth severs its lifeline, but a society that engages their interests, enlists their talents and liberates their energies brings hope to the entire world” (Kofi Anan). Welcome to Jennifer Ehidiamen's online dairy. "Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation" (Nelson Mandela).

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Thursday, November 24, 2011

This story is
very inspiring! As the writer said, “read it with the end in mind.” I really
want to appreciate Ayo for having the courage to share such a powerful story,
one that will inspire our generation and generations to come. In life, we all
have the power to change whatever situation we find ourselves, for the better. Read how Ayo found the courage to change
his. I hope you are inspired as much as I was inspired! Read on, Read it with
your heart :-)

Run with your heart

Guest writer: Ayo Owodunni

I have been
blessed by God to be very talented in running. By the time I graduated from high
school, I was ranked 10th in the country in the 600 meters, 5th
in the state of New Jersey in the 800 meters and top ten in the state in the
400 meter hurdles. I was an all
conference champion 3 years in a row and I was named one of the top returning
track runners in South Jersey twice.
I graduated High School in 2002 and continued my track career at Rider
University.

By the end of my
college career, I held the school record in the 500 meter dash and was also
part of the record breaking 4 by 800 team. I am a three time conference champion in the 400 meter dash and
a four year 4 by 400 meter conference champion. I held the fastest 400 meter time in the conference for
three years in a row and I was fortunate to attend college for free on an
athletic scholarship.

Reading about all
these great accomplishments, one might think, “this kid must have been born
with this amazing talent.” I will say it is an honor for anyone to think so
well of me but my story does not flow that way.

The truth is, I
was never a good athlete growing up.
As a matter of fact I was very horrible. I was clumsy, slow and lazy. I
was labeled a wimp and mama’s boy.
I remember being made fun of as a young boy at Ona Ara Prismoni Children’s
school. I was never one with the
crowd, more like ostracized.

When I was 12 years old, I had the opportunity to move to the US.

One quiet boring day in the
valley of the Springs in Sicklerville, New Jersey, while having a conversation with my cousin, I was advised to
join the track team. “After all,”
said my cousin “you are tall and you’re African. You should be good.”

As it turned out, that random suggestion made a lasting impact.

Trying out

While in 8th
grade at Ann Mullen Middle School, I joined the track team. I tried out for
everything. I ran long distance,
short distance, and mid distance. I jumped, threw the shot put and did
everything else imaginable in the sport.

To cut the long story short, I was too slow to run the short distance and
too lazy to run the longer ones. I
was too clumsy to make those timed and well-defined jumps yet also too skinny
to get better at the shot put.

After going
through a long list of the things I could not do, I was happy to find out that
mid-distance could be very fitting for me. I decided to join the mid-distance group.

My first year of
track was NOT a joke. It was not
as great as I thought it would be. I recollect running a race for about
700 meters and totally quitting towards the end of it. With about 100 meters to go, I fall over and lay on the track because I was just too tired to go on. I also remember running a race
in my basketball sneakers that ended up as a disaster.

The end of 8th
grade labeled me one of the worst runners on the team with no potential. My coach had no faith in me. I remember watching Greg May, Oorie
Gaines, Jacob Hill, Jim Bonnet, Chris Bledsoe and a few other teammates
shine. People rallied around the
track when it was their turn to run.
They were unstoppable!

I graduated 8th
grade and moved on to Highland Regional High School. Once again, I eagerly
joined the track team. Yes I was
one of the worst runners and yes I was told that it might be in my best
interest to find something else for myself but I refused to give up.

The feeling of
being part of a team kept me going.
I enjoyed the friendships, the joy, the fulfillment, the practices and
the competition. I took up another
year of track.

Good mentors, great mentors

Two men changed
my athletic life forever- Bill Collins and Bobby Wagner, head coach and
assistant head coach of the track and field team.

Coach Wagner and
I immediately connected. Wags, as
we would all call him, was a friendly, relatable, funny, nice, loving and
positive coach. He had a great gift of seeing potential in you. He is known to recognize hidden
potential and develop it.

Coach Collins on
the other hand had a completely different style. He was knowledgeable, experienced, and also a great coach
but his approach was totally different. Collins was tough nosed, strict and
very challenging. He told you
things as they were and that was that. If
you ran horrible, he’d tell you.
If you were lazy, he’d say it.
If you’re slacking, he’ll
tell you to get off his team.
Coach Collins was totally amazing, in his own way.

I recollect
Collins saying to me over and over again, “You’re a quitter. You have no heart. You will never become a great runner.
You might be good but you’d never be great.” Wags would object and say “Bill this kid is going to be
amazing. You watch.” Those two went back and forth on me for a complete year
before either of them saw changes.

My high school
career started out just as badly as the middle school career. I was once again one of the worst on
the team and track became more of a social gathering than an actual sport
filled with competition. I was
part of the team and going out to track meets but I never saw myself as being
good, so I became comfortable at my present crisis.

The Turning point

I finished my
freshman year as one of the bad runners on the team. I had made slight
improvement in some areas but I was fed up and wanted to truly make some changes. I made a decision to actually do
something. I remember sitting with
coach Wags and chatting with him.
At this point in time, he had become my personal mentor and we had built
a very close and solid relationship.

I recall Wags
telling me over and over again that I would be a great runner.

I was appalled. I just couldn’t fathom how a runner like me could become ‘great.’
I remember asking him why he thought I’d be great and I was really shocked at
his response to my question.

Wags was totally determined
and just had a look in his eyes that expressed his determination to make me the
runner that he saw in me. He was
determined to make me great! It was from him that I learned that indeed,
practice makes perfect. No, more like Practice
builds greatness.

Summer of 1999

That year, I made a deal with coach Wags. The goal was to run everyday over the
summer and spend time with him.
Wags and I decided to work extremely hard and we picked the perfect
time to do it- Summer of 1999.

Summer of 1999
was historic in South Jersey.
There was no rain for months and the state reservoirs were running
really low. People were asked to
conserve water and all kinds of tactics were used to keep things on the
minimum. It was hot and it was
sticky.

The air was humid
and South Jersey was absolutely dry.
Wags and I picked the summer of 1999 as our summer to make a
difference.

Wags and I ran
for an hour, everyday. We worked
on endurance, strength, heart and commitment. By the time track season rolled around, I was a completely
different runner. I was stronger
and faster. I had grown into my
body and I had some power. It was
time to move!

Sophomore year saw a drastic change from the previous two years.

I dropped my 400
time by 7 seconds, 800 time by 20 seconds and the mile by an entire
minute. I went from one of the
worst runners on the team to 13th in South Jersey and top six in my
conference.

What a change in
one year.

I will never
forget the shock my teammates went through. I was that kid who came dead last in practice everyday only
to return the next year as one of the fastest.

By my junior
year, I was the talk of the town.
I was the 2nd best junior (according to the newspapers) and I
was ranked top 5 in South Jersey.
Wags and I were excited.
Our dream is finally coming to pass and his words dating back 2 years
now are finally coming to pass.
Our excitement and accomplishments led us to set new goals for the
upcoming year.

Setting new goals to beat my last performance

I remember Wags
saying to me… “Ayo this year I believe if you put your mind to it, you can
become one of the best runners in the state of New Jersey. As a matter of fact I believe we can
compete at the national level.”

Wags raised the
standards so high for me that I completely shut down. There is no way I’m that good. There’s no way I can compete
at a national level. I am just ranked in little old South Jersey. Not even New
Jersey but the southern region of a huge state.. I began to lose focus as fear
crept in.

I started off the
year not up to par. I was a
disappointment not only to myself but my coaches. I didn’t even qualify for the
state championships or the conference championship. The truth is that there was so much pressure on me that I
completely shut down. I wasn’t ready to lead and I wasn’t ready to be the
best.

I remember doing
the best I could NOT to put myself in positions to win during races. I stayed in my safe haven and rested in
my comfort zone. Even though I was
one of the fastest on my team, I didn’t qualify for any post-season races.

However there was
still hope for me. In the New
year, I made a conscious decision to take the challenge to become the best that
I wanted to be.

The PRESSURE was
on but I was more determined to be the best. I was older and more focused. I ran each race with my heart and a sense of urgency.

Connecting my heart to my race

After the first
race of my senior year, I remember having a long talk with my other coach,
Collins. Coach Collins sat with me
and spoke of our roller coaster journey as coach and runner. He spoke of our love-hate relationship
and we both enjoyed it.

As we spoke that
lovely day during practice, his words stuck to my heart, “Ayo all I want from
you is your heart. I don’t want
you to focus on what place you come in or what you’re ranked. I just want you to run with your heart.
If you give your best, you’d be your best.”

By the end of my
senior year, I was ranked 10th in the country, 5th in the
state of New Jersey and 1st in the Olympic conference. I qualified
to run the 800 and 400 meter hurdles at the nationals. All I did that senior year was run with
my heart. God blessed it.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

On November 24th, 2011, LEAP will hold its "Annual Nigerian Youth
Leadership Awards", where it recognizes 5 outstanding young Nigerians
who have played leadership roles in creating positive changes in their
local communities in diverse areas such as Business, Environment, Law,
Media, Science and Technology etc.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Many
people remember Monique Coleman for the remarkable role she played in the
movie- High School Musicals (she was the brainy girl called Taylor McKenzie).
Today, the 31 year- old American actress and philanthropist is serving as the
United Nations Youth Champion, with the mission of projecting “dialogue and
mutual understanding,” the themes of the International Year of Youth (August
2010-August 2011). She
recently launched a project called “Letters of Hope,” with the aim of giving
young people the opportunity in changing the world.

Read the excerpts below:

Tell us a
bit more about Letters of Hope

Basically…we
want young people to write letters- what is it they want to see in the world,
what their aspirations are, what their dreams are for the world and also to
share what it is they are doing about that or what it is they want to do. I
really want to see something that is heart centered. I’m not giving too much
guardian on how to go about it…My hope for the letters of hope is that it
becomes this viral movement where people are sharing their hope for the world
and our leaders take these letters and apply action to them.

From the
forum themes (Citizens in action: youth in political and public life;
Countering youth exclusion, vulnerability and violence; and Breaking through
employment barriers.), which are you most passionate about?

I think
they all work hand-in-hand. Unemployment is something that is on the forefront
of everyone’s state of mind. But it is not the one I’m most passionate about,
to be honest, because I feel young people have so much potential. If we could
pave the path instead of following the system they way they’ve been created and
recognise our potential of not only having jobs but to create jobs. There are
so many jobs that can be created, jobs that can solve social problems. So I’m
excited about some of the things that are happening in the job market because I
think it is an opportunity to shift our perspective completely and say, “Now
that there are so many people in the same situation, we can all relate to one
another in a way that we couldn’t relate before.” There isn’t the same
disparity between those who have and those who don’t. There are more and more
people that are losing their jobs. There are more and more people that are
having to say to themselves, “Am I doing what I’m passionate about in the world…if
I’m not, now that I don’t have a job maybe I can take this an opportunity to
follow my real passion.” And that real passion could open up a world of
opportunity to more people.

Taking
about following one’s passion and following one’s dream, as a celebrity did you
have to give up a part of your life to become a change maker?

Oh no! Not
at all. I had to use my life. A lot of people feel like you have to choose and
I felt I had to choose... I was so scared of the path because I thought I’d
have to give up my career in order to do it. But the truth is, I had to
continue to pursue my dream in order to encourage other people to pursue
theirs. But my dreams are just changed. I don’t care about the same things
anymore. Being out in the world and seeing everything that I’ve seen and
experienced, at the end of the day it is like I love being an artist but I’m
able to put that in perspective. I’m able to see the opportunity that I
have as an artist. I desire to play more roles and I will. But I don’t look at
it and feel like it defines me anymore. I think it is a very positive place to
be.

There are
a lot of complaints from young people that policy makers don’t listen to them.
From your experience, how do you think young people can get policy makers to
listen to them?

That is a
great question because it is an opinion that is shared by a lot of people.
My response to that may not be the one you want to hear. But my response is, do
not worry about it. Because I think through experience and through doing more
work you start to realize what the process is when it comes to making a
decision. And the reality is the more time we spend wondering and worrying
about what someone else is thinking or doing, the less time we are spending
actually in the doing. What I experienced traveling around the world is that
often I will meet with students and hear all their concern about everything
they wanted, what is wrong with their education etc. And they were great
concerns. And then I would go and meet with the government officials and they
are talking about the same thing the young people are talking about. So unless
you have a solution that is so powerful, I think we have to be a little less
judgmental of the policy makers and realise they are actually in the position
because they want to do good. Most of the time they are there because they want
to make a difference as well. They are trying to do the right thing and maybe
they are inexperienced in working with young people.

So instead
of being judgmental and complaining about it, show them why they should look
into youth. Show them how youth can be an asset by doing the work and then
presenting it to them instead of waiting for them to give you the opportunity
to do the work.

Economists
say Africa is the next frontier for global economy. In your recent world tour,
you visited many countries, including some African countries; from your
interaction with the youth in there did you perceive this?

Wow! That
is a great question. You know, I think we like to coin these ideas about Africa
and India as well, on who the emerging economies are. For me I’ll say yes,
there is so much opportunities everywhere.

But I also
think it is important to look at whether or not this opportunities is also
causing disadvantages for other people that are living in the same place. And
so to me it is really about having a holistic perspective as to what growth
actually is. Is growth in development for a few or does it benefit all? And so
I can’t really speak on behalf of whether or not on the perception I have about
Africa just by being there for a month… but I would say the entire world is a
vast opportunity for so much development if we are able to see past the
self-serving attitude of how can I be in that company or the cover of Vogue but
actually how can we help the poorest of poor to be included inside that
economy. The continent or country that is able to achieve that, no matter how
small or great, they are is doing an incredible job towards what I consider
true development.

In some
developing countries like Nepal, the corruption rate is very high, how do you
think youth can contribute to the fight against corruption?

That one
breaks my heart. Other things I can deal with but corruption is one that is
very challenging…the one thing I can say is to try to shine the light on it as
much as possible. To raise as much awareness as possible. That requires
bravery. That requires putting yourself out there. In many places that is a
huge risk…I wouldn’t do it alone. I would gather as many people as possible and
not attach a name or a face to the movement of invading corruption…because one
of the things that is attached to corruption is people disappear. So I would be
mindful of your safety…

Your voice
is the most powerful weapon you have, your voice, your mobile device, your
access to technology is so powerful. Being that silent voice that writes a
letter, that speaks up on behalf of other people is really powerful.

Some
people get really frightened by the idea of Change. They feel they are okay and
they don’t really want to change. How, in your opinion, can we make change more
approvable and attractive? Especially for the elders, they lack sense of
change.

The reason
why I’m laughing is because I had the most horrible disturbing thoughts when
you were saying people are afraid of change.

I was
trying to put it into a context and I thought, we change our cloths right? We
change our clothes pretty much every day. Imagine if you had to wear or sat in
the same clothes all of the time. That will get old and it will get crunchy and
not smell very good. Well, that is the same thing. Ultimately, we want to
change. We want to change our clothes, we want to change our ideas, we want to
change our policies and our thoughts. I think the reason why people could be
afraid of change is because they are afraid they are going to lose something.

But I
think if we could shift our whole way of thinking from focusing on what we are
going to lose because of change and focus on what we are going to gain, what
the possibilities are if we did change… I think it is a matter of taking a
fear-based way of thinking and translating that into a more positive open ways
of thinking.

What is
your advice to youth? Those people who really get exclusion in career and
workplace, and from participating in civil society?

I would
say if you are awake and breathing, then you can be participating. You may not
be participating at the level or in the context that you want to be, but you
can participate. So I feel less time should be spent worrying and complaining
about what you are not doing and more time should be spent actually doing what
you can do.

You don’t
have to wait for anybody. You don’t have to wait for the United Nations, you
don’t have to wait for your government, you don’t have to wait for someone to
tell you to do something. When you wake up in the morning, if you see a
problem, there is likely a solution somewhere inside of you. If it is not, you
can gather with other people and come up with a solution. I think sometimes we
want to skip steps, we have these mobile devices, we have access to information
all day and it feels so easy to get something done. I’m sitting in the front
row and I’m participating- someone says something that is compelling and I
tweet it and immediately it is all around the world.

But the
reality of change is not that. The reality of actually making a difference is a
process. You have to organize yourself, you have to be clear about what exactly
you want… it doesn’t have to be bureaucracy … but it does have to be something
that is spelt out because many of the issues that we are facing today are based
on hasty decisions. Hasty decisions that were made at the time when people didn’t
take their time to think things completely through and didn’t have the
foresight to see what could happen. We need to slow time and think things
through.

How do you
see yourself different from other people?

I see
myself as the same. Nothing was given to me. Everything that I have and
achieved, I have worked for. To be honest, none of my ideas are my own. I
really think the things that have happened…are divine…I think that there is a
divinity that is working in our world…when I approach people or when I go
through my life, I think: do I have fears? Absolutely. Do I have insecurity?
Absolutely. Are there things that I think I cannot do? Absolutely. Do I have to
work hard in order to be able to take steps in my life? Absolutely, every
single day. So I don’t sit back and say…I was in High School musicals. Oh no! I
had to let go of all of that stuff that make people feel important and
recognize that I’m living on the same planet where there is bullying, where
there are conflict all over the world, where people are hungry and don’t have
access to drinking water. As long as I’m living in this planet we all need to
get in the mud and make a difference.

Since we
are sitting here together, from different race and religion, what do you think
is the message of the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum?

I think
this whole year and the Forum is really about dialogue. It is about breaking
down these barriers of ideas and stereotypes and really getting into
conversation. And then taking that conversation and translating it into action.
It is not enough to sit all day and just talk about it, you have to put these
words into action. It doesn’t have to be on a huge scale. You could do
something so tiny and that small thing will continue to multiply and to grow
and make a difference for someone.

Do you
have any other comment?

I’m just
so proud of all of you, for being here and for being selected. It is a
wonderful opportunity, which you all know. But I just wanted to share that when
I was a little bit younger, I had this issue where I felt like I wasn’t doing
enough. The more problems are reported in the world, the more things I saw, the
more I felt like I’m just not doing enough. I just want you to know you may
face that. You may learn more and see more and become frustrated and feel like
you are not just doing enough. I just want you to know that you are. If
you are doing everything that you can, if you waking up and it is on your
heart. If you are being the best person that you can be every single day, if
you are helping someone to cross the street, if you are sharing a positive
message…you are doing enough. And it isn’t just about one person. It is about
us inspiring other people to do the same thing. If we all did our own share of
the job, it will all get done.

As the
world’s population hit 7 billion last month, the United Nations Population Fund
held a forum for youth in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. Youth
converged with representatives from the government and local and international
nongovernmental organizations to brainstorm about how to develop policies to
transform the emerging challenges of the increasing population into
opportunities. - Global
Press Institute

ABUJA, NIGERIA – David
Habba, 24, is a student at Benue State University, where he is currently
studying sociology. Habba says his vision for his future is to practice what he
is studying.

“I want to speak for
others,” he says. “I see myself as a social engineer, proffering solutions to
social issues.”

A member of various youth groups
focused on political education, Habba is also passionate about increasing
political consciousness among young people so they can demand their rights from
the government. But combining activism and education does not come easy for
him.

“It is not very easy, but
being able to manage my time gives me that ability to be able to combine the
two,” he says.

Benue state, where Habba
lives and studies, is popularly referred to as the food basket of the nation.
The state is located in the Middle Belt region in central Nigeria.

Youth in Benue state in the
past didn’t have a strong inclination for classroom education, he says. Most
people became farmers.

“We are rated among the
educationally backward state, but all that is changing now,” he says.

He says that the trend is
changing because young people are becoming more politically conscious and
uniting to proffer solutions to their common sufferings.

As a part of this trend,
Habba was among the 50 youth who participated in the 7 Billion Campaign Youth
Forum that took place in Abuja from Oct. 31 – the day the world’s population
reached 7 billion – to Nov. 1.

The United Nations
Population Fund, UNFPA, recently launched 7 Billion Actions, an initiative
aimed at creating awareness about different opportunities and challenges that
will emerge with this population increase. The advocacy effort strives to
inspire citizens, government, nongovernmental organizations, NGOs, corporate
sectors and others to be proactive in contributing positively to the world.

UNFPA collaborated on the
forum with governmental platforms, such as the National Youth Council of
Nigeria, and local and international NGOs, such as Education as a Vaccine
Against AIDS Nigeria and Save the Children UK. The forum brought together
emerging youth leaders in Nigeria to brainstorm about the challenges and
opportunities that they face as young people in a world of 7 billion people and
to share these ideas with policymakers.

Habba says youth
participation is crucial to finding the opportunities in these challenges.

“I live at community level
and intervene at community level,” Habba says. “Very importantly, I think in a
world of 7 billion, more than the opportunities, the challenges abound –
especially for young people. If there would be any gainful achievement for
young people, they must be at the center and forefront of the engagement.”

Habba says that one concern
is that with an increasing population, employment will be more competitive. He
says he’s also worried about food, as farming profits haven’t risen because of
the increased cost of agricultural materials.

“I’m also very concern about
food because I come from a food basket state,” he says. “For us in Nigeria,
food prices have tripled in less than five years. Government funding for
investment in agriculture sector have not yielded needed result.”

He says education is another
concern.

“I’m concern about the kind
of education people will have to face because with increase population, there
needs to be a corresponding increase in investment,” he says. “Even at smaller
population, we have not seen our government do this. So who gives us the
assurance that at a higher population our government will be able to do this?”

Competitive employment, food
scarcity and poor education are some of the challenges Habba foresees. But he
is also optimistic.

“I hope and believe that
young people are well-able and will be put in a position to respond effectively
and change a lot for the better,” he says.

Habba says he is increasing
his efforts to tackle social challenges. After the 7 Billion Youth Forum, he
plans to organize a program for farmers in Benue to discuss how prepared they
are to produce food for an increasing population.

“I’m going to be doing what
I have always been doing but with a more strategic focus,” he says.

The 7 Billion Youth Forum
aimed to insert young people’s voice into developing policies to transform the
challenges emerging with the population increase into opportunities. Many say
improving services and facilities is key to development.

Women say gender
equality in accessing these services and facilities is also crucial.

Various
youth say education will enable people to help themselves. Others recommended a
more grassroots approach to include marginalized communities in these
initiatives. Policymakers participating in the forum insisted on a
restructuring of government in order to increase accountability and to more
effectively address problems.

Nigeria has the largest
population in Africa and is the sixth most populous country in the world,
according to UNFPA. With a growth rate of 2.53 percent, Nigeria’s population
currently exceeds 166 million, with projections of it increasing to nearly 390
million in 2050 and 730 million in 2100.

The theme of the 7 Billion
Youth Forum was “Nigeria Demographics: Opportunities and Challenges.”
Participants discussed education, health, the environment and climate change,
unemployment, and information and communication technology in an increasing
population.

Tope Fashola, program
coordinator for advocacy, policy and campaigns for Education as a Vaccine
Against AIDS, a local NGO that aims to help young people access sexual and
reproductive health information and services, says that the forum aimed to
address how to manage such a large population.

“Especially because Nigeria
population is a youthful one,” he says. “We are saying that, how can we begin
to think of policies that can protect and encourage the buildup of young people
in our nation? They say youth are the leaders of tomorrow, but we need to start
planning from today, and we believe it starts from the policy angle.”

Ajani Olawale James,
president of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, a platform created by the
Ministry of Youth to engage youth in policy formation, says the growth in
population will have positive and negative effects on Nigerian youth like him.

“I think it is a big
challenge [that] at the same time provides more opportunities,” he says. “In a
country whereby we have a lot of young people, it should be an opportunity if
we are ready to explore.”

He says youth are eager to
get involved.

“Nigerian youth is always
ready because every Nigerian youth want to be a responsible citizen,” He says.
“We have been fed over the years, and we want to start feeding people. That
sense of responsibility is always on the Nigerian youth.”

Hadija Aminu, the campaign
adviser for Save the Children UK, an international children’s charity based in
the United Kingdom, says that poverty is one factor that has contributed to the
population increase.

“The population reduces
where there is development,” she says. “People feel more confident to have
smaller families. But what you see in some communities in Nigeria is that the
poorer you are, the more children you have because you tend to not know which
among the children would be among the one that will support you and sustain
you. So you have so many of them and hope that one of them will provide for
you.”

Aminu says that quality
basic education and free health care will naturally lead to smaller families in
Nigeria.

“So what we can do in
Nigeria is to improve all other facilities and services,” she says. “It will
directly reduce our population.”

Managing population growth
is different from controlling population growth, says Tochie Odele, one of the
organizers of the event.

“We don’t want to tell
people to control population,” she says. “We want to be able to manage
population.”

Women say they hope that the
population growth will provide more opportunities for them.

“Young women should realize
they have a role and must get up to have their voices to be heard in a world of
7 billion,” she says. “Young women can serve as community mobilizers, role
models, etc., synthesize other young women on the importance of education and
not feel limited by the lack of access.”

Nkiru Igbokwe, an UNFPA national
program analyst, says that an increase in population is not necessarily
negative if leaders are sensitive to gender equality.

“It could be positive if we
direct our human resources the right way and if we plan to use the resources in
a way that it does not discriminate against any sex,” she says.

She says that women need
equal access to resources.

“The fact that we are 7
billion in the world ­means that we pay particular attention to devising ways
to increasing women[’s] access to resources, especially productive resources
such as land, labor, credit, so that it will enable them [to] create and have
sustainable livelihood,” she says.

She also urges
parliamentarians to implement strategies to ensure young girls have access to
reproductive health services and information in order to reduce teenage
pregnancy.

“Strategies that will ensure
young girls get access to education and come out with strong degree that will
enable them access higher employment,” she says. “Strategies to ensure human
resources and financial resources are leverage[d] in a way that is
gender-sensitive and does not discriminate help us have a productive
population.”

Damilola Ade, an active
member of the World Bank Youth Forum in Nigeria, a youth forum set up by World
Bank Nigeria to engage young people in community development, also emphasizes
education. She says that she and her peers have been visiting rural communities
on the outskirts of Abuja to explore community service ideas that they can
implement in underserved communities. She says she is appalled by the standard
of education in rural areas, which the population increase would further
strain.

“In terms of education, the
challenge is access and funding,” she says. “I know in Nigeria, we give less
than 20 percent of our budget to education.”

Ade says that countries must
allocate more of their federal budgets to education if they want to build the
capacity of their youth.

“We should be looking
forward a minimum of 30 percent,” she says.

Ade says that school
infrastructure and facilities are also not up to standard. But she says she is
not waiting for the government to solve all the problems.

“Over the past few weeks,
I’ve been thinking about [the] education process – going into rural areas to
teach kids,” she says. “What I want to do more is going back to grassroots,
even if it’s as little as a chalkboard I can donate. I will like to do more of
that.”

Fashola says that policies
that ensure education, as well as protection and health services, to all young
people are key. He says this will ensure that Nigerian youth are not dependent
on stipends from the government, but rather they will have the knowledge,
capacity and resources to be self-sufficient, which will spur future
development of the country.

Ade says that participating
in the 7 Billion Youth Forum has enlightened her more on the issues facing the
education sector in Nigeria.

“A friend told me about the
event,” she says. “I have been hearing a lot about 7 billion and got
inquisitive. I went online but did not get as much information as I got here.”

But she says that she would
have preferred a more grassroots approach to tackling issues affecting Nigeria.

“I will like to see more
grassroots participation,” she says.

As one of the lead partners,
UNFPA is not oblivious to the criticism associated with conferences and forums.

“The question has always
been talking with no action,” Igbokwe says. “I think talk is important. We have
to start talking here. We depend on participants to talk the message to those at
rural areas.”

Aminu agrees with Ade on the
need for more grassroots outreach initiatives.

“I met a family in one of
the grassroots communities,” she says. “We were discussing family planning and
family health issues. She had about 12 children, and she told me if I had come
earlier, she wouldn’t have had the baby she was holding because she didn’t want
to have any more children but she didn’t know what she could do.”

She says that a more
grassroots approach is necessary because many people lack access to the
conversation.

“Because they cannot
communicate with the rest of the world, they don’t know what is obtainable,”
she says. “So yes, we have a lot to do in terms of taking these awareness the
poorest and the most marginalized communities.”

Aminu says these communities
are most in need.

“They are the ones that need
the services the most,” Aminu says. “They face the challenges the most. Thus,
they are the ones that need the opportunities the most.”

Ajani says that the next
step after the forum is for the government to make policies. But he says that
policymakers must engage youth in this process.

“We want to talk to
parliamentarians to make laws that are youth-friendly,” he says.

At the end of the forum, the
participants came up with an action paper. They plan to present the paper to
the parliamentarians to serve as a guide for them to make youth-friendly
policies to tackle the emerging challenges.

“There is going to be a real
action,” says Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, one of the parliamentarians who attended
the forum.

He blames corruption in
Nigeria’s system for delays in enforcing policies. To change this trend, he
encourages Nigerians to be proactive in keeping the government accountable.

“We should keep an eye on them,”
says Akinade-Fijabi, a new member of the House Committee on Youth. “When a law
is passed, we should make sure it is enforced.”

Another parliamentarian
invited to the forum, Eziuche Chinwe Ubani, the chairman of the Committee on
Climate Change, agrees.

“People in office are
suppose to be more accountable,” Ubani says. “But for that to happen, there
needs to be a constitutional framework that allows people ask questions and get
answers.”

He says questions lead to
accountability.

“These kinds of governance
structure where people are not permitted to ask questions or when they ask are
ignored does not make people in power accountable,” he says. “So it is for all
of us to stand up to it and find a way that we have a governance process that
delivers on development.”

Ubani says Nigeria’s
governance system must be revamped to make leaders more accountable and more
effective at solving problems.

“First of all, I think we
need to change the template of governance,” he says. “The governance structure,
not government, is not tailored to solve any problem the way it is. The
structure we have needs to change. There needs to be constitutional amendment
in a peaceful way to be able to create a government that delivers. And people
must be held accountable.”

Ubani cautions Nigeria not
to relax as the population increases.

“If the population is
increasing, other facilities and resources also have to increase,” he says.
“Apart from the resources that are finite, the other ones are for individuals
to be able to expand.”

He says this expansion is
crucial to avoid competition.

“When many people are
competing for a small resource, there is bound to be a problem,” he says. “Even
for spaces, if two people are suppose to live in a room and all of a sudden
there are eight people sleeping in a room, people will be cramped. There will
be no space to stand.”

Akinade-Fijabi says that
Nigerian parliamentarians are working to change the system.

“We have some intellect who
are ready to serve the people and not there for money,” he says.

He says that
parliamentarians have already begun to address employment barriers that prevent
competent and skilled youth from applying for jobs solely based on their age.

“We have passed the motion
about the age barriers,” Akinade-Fijabi says.

Joycee Awojoodu, one of the
youth participants, says youth must continue to pass their concerns along to
the government.

“Getting in contact with a
legislator, even if it’s just a local government chairman, is one step in
getting our issues heard,” she says. “It is one step in the right direction.”

Sunday, November 20, 2011

It is
obvious that the generations before us are not providing any real assurances
for our future, it is up to us. A piece of advice I got from a mentor which I
wish to share is that, while in tertiary school, have a “portfolio” for skills,
pick up as many skills as you can because when you graduate, it will be that
portfolio that will differentiate you from the millions that have graduate
certificates like you." Somto

Fab-Ukozor
Somto Sharon, recently won of the ITU young
innovator’s contest. She was in Geneva, Switzerland with other young innovators
from across the world where she presented her MS2C idea and emerged winner of
the prestigious contest.

Sommie
as she is popularly called is a young vivacious and intuitive young lady who is
committed to exploring new ways the ICT can be used as an advocacy tool for
youth development and empowerment. She has been a keen volunteer at Students In
Free Enterprise (SIFE) FUTO Campus where she served both as assistant technical
director and project head for “Making C.E.O Project”.

In
this interview with Grace Ihejiamaizu, Sommie shares her passion
and idea to change the world as well as her experience with ITU 2011.

Excerpts
of the Interview:

How
are you today Sommie?

I am
doing great, thank you.

How
was your experience at the ITU Conference? How did you get to know about the
contest?

My
experience was both exciting and memorable. It was a stimulating programme with
rich networking opportunities. I enjoyed meeting and making friends with other
29 Young Innovators and learning from their ideas and exchanging stories with
people from different backgrounds, orientation and race. The facilitators and
mentors were awesome, the whole exercise from story-boarding, to forming
personas and limiting our powerpoint slides to specified maximum number and
words. It was exciting and informative.

Your MS2C
project won and was selected for funding. What is MS2C and how would you use
the grant?

MS2C
(Mobile Skills to Cash) is essentially an Application platform that connects
young Nigerians willing to provide services or products to Companies or
Individuals who need those services, as well NGOs and Government bodies focused
on skill acquisition, extension services or SME funding. The young folks can
interact via sms or smart phone clients.

What
inspired you to develop the MS2C Project?

I
found out that every year our Nigerian Universities graduate over a hundred
thousand students without provision for them in the labour market and most of
these people have skills but do not know how to use it in the present economic
state of the country, so they rather engage in social vices or migrate to big
cities causing over-population. So I was inspired to develop this project, to
link these youths, undergraduates inclusive and empower them. As you know I
belong to this generation, I am a graduating student from the FUTO where I
studied Elect/Elect Engineering, and majored in Communication Engineering.

What
are some of the technologies you used to develop the MS2C Project?

The
main application is being developed in Java (J2ME,J2EE).

As
history has shown us, for a technological development to be truly successful,
it must have a good business potential; can you briefly describe the business
model behind the MS2C technology?

Initially
I was mainly focusing on solving a need, but part of what I learnt during the
ITU Conference is the emphasis on the business side – “the numbers” as the
Venture Capitalists would say. Yes there is a business model that will ensure
the project’s sustainability. We ensured that it’s a Win-win for all the stakeholders,
most of the cost will be borne by the companies who would need the services,
adverts will also provide some funding, but we will try to keep the cost very
low for the target beneficiaries – youths like me.

How
will MS2C create a positive impact in Nigeria?

Over
500,000 young graduates will be thrown into the largely inadequate Nigerian job
market, many will join about 25m others without jobs. If this effort is able to
provide opportunities to a 100 youths, that in my humble opinion will make a
difference. And if my story inspires a few others to take similar initiatives,
then it can only get better. If the idle young men and women are positively
engaged in their states of residence, we will have less people who resort to
vices and who knows, we may reduce rural urban migration.

Do
you have plans to have the MS2C application for platforms like android, apple
and blackberry?

Yes
of course, the SMS-based is the first stage for dumb phones which are
incidentally the majority, but consequently client instances will be deployed
for the major smart phone and tablet devices.

As an
emerging young Software programmer, what should we expect from you in the not
too distant future?

(Breaths
out) expect more innovation. I should be doing a Masters, I will continue to
hone my skills and seek to get better in other to be able to positively affect
as many lives as I can.

What
advice would you give to young people?

It is
obvious that the generations before us are not providing any real assurances
for our future, it is up to us. A piece of advice I got from a mentor which I
wish to share is that, while in tertiary school, have a “portfolio” for skills,
pick up as many skills as you can because when you graduate, it will be that
portfolio that will differentiate you from the millions that have graduate
certificates like you.

New Blog!

RuralReporters

Interview on The Street

What She Told God...And His Response

"She told God she wanted to fly. To escape every limitation placed on her from birth. To soar to places unimagineable to her ancestors. To reach for the stars and land on her dreams. She told God she wanted to create. To build legacy and transform everything she touched. To inspire generations to come and to nurture the visions of prophets yet to be born. To generate change with her mere words. She told God she wanted to love and trust unconditionally. To be the answer to every prayer he had ever prayed and the manifestation of every fantasy he had convinced himself would never come to pass. To be the breath of fresh air he had never sat still long enough to take in. And God told her that eyes had not seen nor ears heard what was to come for her."

Photo moment

Half a Loaf & a Bakery

Half a loaf & a Bakery was created and published out of necessity. We want to encourage youths who have no loaf today to step out of their comfort zone and aspire. We want to inspire those with half a loaf to make the best use of what they have been given. We want to tell all young people in Nigeria that have their backs pushed against the wall by circumstances beyond their control, to arise, dare to dream bigger and take action towards greatness everyday. We have shared articles on education, entrepreneurship and related issues to stimulate positive enduring actions. We have also shared interview responses from youths who are leading by example. It is our hope that this book will inspire young people to embrace the culture of hands-on experiential learning and be prepared for the labour force, as entrepreneurs or employees before graduation. Owning a bakery and feeding others is within the reach of everyone who believes in the beauty of their dreams. Get a FREE copy on your android phone via Okadabooks.com or download via Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/doc/210221423/Half-A-Loaf-A-Bakery-by-Jennifer-Ehidiamen-and-Funso-Bukoye

Convocation at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism

Extravagant Grace!

Dis Generation on Paper.li

Enjoy the power of youth

"We believe, YOUTH are: Interested if you treat them with Respect; Engaged if you make things Interesting; Excited if you passionate; Helpful if you give Responsibility and if they feel needed; Impacting if given the Forum and trust; Leaders if given the time and space to Practice leadership." oneworldyouthproject.org

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What is your passion?

Brenda Ueland: "I learned that you should feel when writing, not like Lord Byron on a mountain top, but like a child stringing beads in kindergarten - happy, absorbed and quietly putting one bead on after another."

About Me

Jennifer is a tech savvy Journalist, a vivacious volunteer and an avid blogger who is keen about using the new media as a tool to disseminate information, collaborate and stir up progressive interaction. She is described as one of the next generation of communicators by Georgetown University’s GAIN's Center for Social Impact Communication (CSIC). Jennifer currently serves as a freelance senior reporter and media trainer.
Between 2009 and 2010, she served in Washington D.C as an Atlas Corps Fellow. She was also recently granted the International Reporting Project (IRP) 2013 New Media Fellowship to report on global health and development in Nigeria.
In November 2010, she was awarded the LEAP Africa Nigerian Youth Leadership Award for her work as an outstanding Nigerian youth leader.
A graduate of Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Jennifer believes God created Youth for a purpose and thus should not be wasted in frivolity. Her published books include, “In Days To Come” (2004), "Preserving My Saltiness" (2011) and "Half a Loaf & a Bakery" (2013).
Favourite quote: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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Purpose.Poetry.Passion.Destiny

My work is my service to God and humanity.

“It is a myth that in order to be a change-maker, one has to give up a part of one’s life. We ask youth to imagine using their passion as a way to affect change. We ask youth to live their passions in a way that makes a positive impact in the world.” Jess Rimington, Founder, One World Youth Project www.oneworldyouthproject.org

In Days To Come

A collection of my poems published in 2004 by the young poet society

A Review of "In Days to Come"

Jennifer is a remarkable young lady. Living in a country that she truly loves, yet recognizing the many problems as well. From her young mind she reaches out through her poetry hoping that her messages will reach out to educate, but even more so, to offer hope.

Jennifer does not write in rhyming verse or strict form, preferring the freedom to express her innermost thoughts without restriction. Yet poetry it undoubtedly is.

Many have struggled to define poetry, in the same way that many struggle to define art. Poetry paints with words and expressions and as such can be both art and craft.

I believe that if Jennifer’s words move you, then she has expressed both her art and her craft.

Finally, we have tried to avoid making changes to her writing, except perhaps for a few proof reading corrections. We hope by this you will capture not only the words, but (also) the essence of Jennifer’s culture that shines through her poetry.

Philip G. Bell

Editor,

Young Poet Society

Book Presentation

Learning to unlearn

"We need to unlearn the idea that our unique mission must consist of some achievement which all the world will see, and learn instead that as the stone does not always know what ripples it has caused in the pond whose surface it impacts, so neither we nor those who watch our life will always know what we have achieved by our life and by our mission. It may be that by the grace of God we helped bring about a profound change for the better in the lives of other souls around us, but it also may be that this takes place beyond our sight, or after we have gone on. And we may never know what we have accomplished, until we see Him face-to-face after this life is past". Bolle in What color is your Parachute?

I SURRENDER!

show me a waya channel, a routethrough which I could reachout to this hurting worldand wipe out that tears rolling down her cheeks

I know, I knowI must tread only on that path I know wellelse I cramp my style with stinking gibberishMy wallet is flat tonightplease don't count on that

Still this urge to belongan undiluted desire to serveyearns so loudly I can hold back no more

I surrenderin total submission my heart cryHere I am, use me lover of my soul

to be a helping hand in my societyto learn to give without asking for a refundto able to influence others into aiming for the bestnever to try playing god over my peersto you my king I obediently surrender.(c)Jennifer Ehidiamen

Proudly Nigerian

"School presentation about African communication system"

In service to God, and humanity!

"working for positive change...GX2 Volunteers at Jos Prison...ask me about the experience!"

11 Downing street

Our education, Our future, our voice!

Penmanship

Words are the only Jewel I possesWords are the only clothes I wearWords are the only food that sustains my lifeWords are the only wealth I distribute among people says Tuha,Witness the Word; He is God. I worship Him with words.

WASHINGTON – The International Women’s Media Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2012-13 Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship, name...

Words on marble

“The challenges of our age are global; they transcend national frontiers; they are problems without passports. To address them, we need blue prints without borders. That is why more than ever before, we need dedicated and talented young men and women to be global citizens who make the choice of service to humankind….. a society that cuts itself from its youth severs its lifeline, but a society that engages their interests, enlists their talents and liberates their energies brings hope to the entire world”

Kofi AnnanUnited Nations Secretary-General1997-2007

"We are here to be excited from youth to oldage, to have an insatiable curiousity about our world... We are also here to help others by practicing a friendly attitude. And every person is born for a purpose. Everyone has a God-given potential, in essence, built into them. And if we are to live life to its fullest, we must realize that potential." -Norman Vincent Peale

"There is no thrill in easy sailing, when the skies are Clear and Blue There is no Joy in doing only things anyone can do But there is some satisfaction mighty sweet to take when you reach a destination that you thought you'd never make"

Isaiah 43:18-19:18 “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. 19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.We all have an individual calling...a purpose why we are here on Earth. Life to me is not about being rich and famous but about reaching out to others in servitude...positively! so i try to help in every way i can...by God's enabling grace!